The veteran pastoralist has been through some tough years, managing to sell just 400 buffalo since 2011.

"Since the live export ban (to Indonesia in 2011), we've been able to sell very few," he said.

"We were at the stage where we were overstocked, which no one in the pastoral industry likes, because you end up with land degradation with overstocking, plus you're chasing feed... so this means a lot."

"Since the live export ban we've managed to sell about 400, whereas normally would have done 2,500 to 3,000 head."

Mr Fisher's buffalo were loaded onto the Shorthorn Express yesterday, in what was Australia's first buffalo shipment to Vietnam.

Mr Fisher says all of the buffalo were male, and had a weight range of about 360 kilograms up to 600 kilograms.

He says it's a much needed boost to the industry for a number of reasons.

"In the past, there's been thousands (of buffalo) shot to waste, there's been nowhere for them to go except pet meat, and there's a limit to what can go for pet meat," he said.

"So being able to supply a market, generates an income not only for the pastoralists, but through many different avenues which associate with the industry."

The Northern Territory's Chief Minister, Adam Giles, says the buffalo shipment yesterday will be the first of many, with another 600 head due to be exported from Darwin next week, and another 1,500 due out in April.